Merger Mania Keeps Bank From Opening

A price of growing: The early morning walker strides across a parking lot still unstained by the drippings of mechanical beasts and peers into the lighted lobby.

There's no sign anywhere to indicate the business, though five drive-in lanes hint that this was intended to be a bank, a notion confirmed by glancing into the lobby. Across the blue-gray-burgandy lobby, a teller counter stretches along a wall; nearer the door, desks face pairs of upholstered chairs, settings ready to fullfill someone's dream, or bring respite from creditors.

Just inside the door a bundle of telephone directories await distribution to work stations. In the center of the lobby a counter, its small bins filled with blank forms, awaits the first customer.

It's been like that for eight months now, complete, even to Casselberry's bureaucratic affirmation that the building is ready for business, but still unsoiled by work.

The new and unused building is a victim of merger mania.

It was put up by Landmark Bank, but before completion, Landmark became merger bait. That on-again, off-again courting is complete now and a bank officer says a new green-and-white C&S -- Citizens and Southern out of Atlanta -- sign should be sprouting within 60 days.

Pin-striped and vested presidents and vice presidents no doubt worry not at all over a $400,000 building ready but, after 10 months, unsoiled by work. The walker, though, turns back to the sidewalk and wonders at the cost of this and other casualties of big business getting bigger.

Reaching out to touch you: In case you are wondering about an additional 50-cent charge on your phone bill this month and haven't yet waded through all the paperwork to learn about it, that's your first payment on the 911 emergency communications system the county's installing.

The additional cost will continue for 18 months to take care of the cost of installation and getting it up and running. After that it should drop.